Wildomar man tied to alleged vehicle thefts

Officers arrested a Wildomar man last week on suspicion of running a shop for breaking down stolen vehicles into parts after he allegedly was found to be in possession of stolen cars and parts.

The arrest stemmed from an investigation Friday into a suspected stolen vehicle at a residence on Hidden Hollow Drive between Flax and Deep Well roads, Wildomar police Sgt. David Cardoza stated in a news release.

A Mercedes Benz and a Honda Quad found on the property were reported as stolen within Wildomar, Cardoza said. Also, a license plate was found that had belonged to a Mercedes reported stolen from Lake Elsinore, the release states.

A related followup investigation at a residence on Lost Road near Gafford Road uncovered a Honda motorcycle believed to have been stolen in Wildomar and a Toyota Tundra reported stolen from Lake Elsinore.

With the assistance of the Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail, officers also located engine parts to a Ford Ranger truck reported stolen from Menifee.

Authorities identified the suspect as 39-year-old Thomas O'Brien, who was booked at Southwest Detention Center in French Valley on suspicion of receiving stolen property and committing a felony while out of custody on bail, jail records show.